Directed by Phillip Noyce, ‘The Giver’ is a highly critically acclaimed science-fiction film that narrates a dystopian world in which human beings are disconnected from memories like suffering and conflict. Based on a well-acclaimed eponymous book by Lois Lowry, the 2014 film revolves around Jonas (Brenton Thwaites), who, with the help of The Giver (Jeff Bridges) fights Chief Elder (Meryl Streep) to help humans get back their memories. The exquisite locations used in filming enhance the narrative, giving it a more realistic appeal. Here we are to give you a look at the filming locations of this movie.
The Giver Filming Locations
‘The Giver’ was filmed mainly in various locations in South Africa, while the rest of the filmings also took place in the US and the UK. Principal photography of the film started on October 7, 2013, in the South African cities of Johannesburg and Cape Town and concluded in Utah on February 13, 2014. Here are the specific locations where the film was shot!
Cape Town, South Africa
The production team shot a major portion of the film in the port city of Cape Town, located on South Africa’s southwest coast. The scenic beauty of Cape Town is unparalleled. It is surrounded by mountains and opens into the Atlantic Ocean, making it yet another favorite shooting location for filmmakers. Cape Town is the second-largest and oldest city in South Africa, offering numerous vacation sites to tourists from the world over.
Taylor Swift, who portrays the role of Rosemary, filmed several scenes with Jeff Bridges in this geographically diverse city. Talking about it, she told Access Hollywood, “I still can’t believe I shot in South Africa and shot all my scenes with Jeff Bridges. It was unreal…I just tried to work as hard as I could and just throw myself into that environment as much as I possibly could. It was really long hours and it was a lot of preparation and getting into character and all that, but it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Honestly.”
Johannesburg, South Africa
A portion of the exteriors of The University of Witwatersrand, a historically rich public research university, was used to shoot many sequences in this film. It is exactly located at 1 Jan Smuts Avenue in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. The vast campus of this university encompasses several heritage sites, theatres, museums, and Johannesburg Planetarium. With its lush green property and well-built buildings, it is ideal for any film and television production.
Johannesburg is yet another prominent city in South Africa and is home to some of the largest buildings in Africa. The skyscrapers and high enrich the overall urban look of this city. Johannesburg has served as a filming location for several movies and television shows over the years, and the makers of ‘The Giver’ made full use of this modern city to enrich their cinematography.
Paarl, South Africa
Located east of Cape Town, additional filming of ‘The Giver’ was carried out in Paarl, a town located in the Western Cape province of the country. The lush green gardens and buildings along a route named Paarl Arboretum near Paarl were used in shooting several sequences in the film. It is famous for trail-walking, and its unique geographic elevation adds to its popularity as a tourist spot in South Africa.
Utah
The snow-covered forest scene in the end where Jonas is seen carrying the baby Gabriel to the cabin of ‘The Giver’ was filmed in Utah, located in the Mountain West subregion of Western America. The state is well-known for the natural diversity it has to offer, which ranges from snowy mountains and pine forests to sandy deserts, basins, and plateaus. Various parts of Utah are used as locations for several film and television productions.
England
A few scenes featuring Meryl Streep, who plays the Chief Elder in the film, were most likely shot in England. The scenic beauty of England attracts many filmmakers every year. Not only is this country one of the most advanced in terms of technological advancement, but the grey skies (almost all through the year), the hills, lakes, and cliffs provide ample diversity for filming.
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